The Sky's Tears
by Hoshiakari Mitsukai
Summary: After her world is swallowed by darkness, Nami joins the Keyblade Master and his companions not only to help them, but also to rediscover her past. It is crucial if she is to find out... why she herself has a Keyblade of her own.
1. Prologue

**A/N**: Hey, guys! Mitsukai here, with a brand new story for you all!

To all the readers of "Angel of Shadows" and "Your Smile Saved Me," I apologize for the LONG updates. I don't know, inspiration's just not coming in. But if you're thinking that I'm discontinuing them just like that, then you've got another thing coming! I have experienced far too many disappointments myself when it comes to really good stories being discontinued. And for the sake of my stories' readers, I will not be like them unless the time really comes to do so.

Okay, before I can ramble further, I'll finish this up with the classic.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to Kingdom Hearts, even though it is my greatest dream. I only own this story and my OC, who will be introduced to you very soon.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

_**"A scattered dream that's like a far off memory..."**_

_A sweet and familiar giggle rang in his ears. He chuckled. "Give me a break, Na-"_

_"Don't ever change. You got that, So-"_

_**"...A far off memory that's like a scattered dream."**_

_Darkness surrounded them both. The only thing keeping them together was the death grip they had on the other's hand. _

_"I won't let you go!"_

_Pretty soon, it would prove to be futile._

_**"I wanna line the pieces up..."**_

_A strong gust of wind blew, effectively breaking their hold on each other, much to their dismay. The lighter of the two was beginning to get swept away by the pull of the massive ball of darkness that had appeared out of nowhere, along with the numerous shadow beings that now dominated their once peaceful island._

_**"...Yours..."**_

_A hand desperately stretched out to him... one he could not reach, despite all his efforts._

_"Sora!" _

_That was the last thing he heard from her, before the darkness swallowed her whole. Her terrified crimson eyes still haunted him to this day. _

_"Nami!"_

_**"...And mine."**_

_**

* * *

**_

**A/N**: Well, that was... short. Don't worry about the updates this time, though. This is what I'm gonna focus on for now... because I'm playing the games again! AND I'm gonna get Birth By Sleep this Christmas! Kingdom Hearts will never cease to exist in my heart! Hahaha! :D

Before I go, here's a treat for you all:

_As far as she knew, she had never lived on an island where peace and happiness reigned. Quite frankly, it was the opposite. She stole a glance at the beggars that littered the city streets. The graffiti that adorned every wall, every building that her eyes could see. The civilians walking past her, each face contorted in a mixture of fear and lost hope. This was her world. Her eyes darkened visibly and she looked away, choosing to stare at the cobblestone path that led to her school._

_With all her thoughts, she wasn't able to notice the shadows slipping silently into the alleyways._

A preview for the first chapter, if you're wondering what it is. :)

Please review!

Until next time!


	2. Crimson Dreams

**A/N:** Told you this wasn't going to take so long. :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to Kingdom Hearts, even if I do wish that were so. It belongs to Square Enix and the masterminds behind it! I only own this story and my OC, Nami.

Enjoy!

* * *

_"What was your hometown like?"_

_"If there are any other worlds out there, then why did we end up on this one?"_

_"Sora! What's happening?"_

_"You are the one who will protect the Keybearer."_

_"His safety at the cost of your own memory...?"_

_"Sora, I'll come back to you. I promise."_

_**"Nami!"**_

My eyes snapped open, and I shot up out of bed, gasping for breath. Beads of sweat were on my forehead, and I reached up to wipe them away with the back of my hand.

"What... was _that_?", I whispered to myself, still breathing heavily. Shaking my head, I got up and went to my vanity to fix myself up for the day. It took me a few minutes to calm down, but once I did, I stared at the image reflected by the large mirror in front of me.

Tired, confused crimson eyes stared back from the mirror. I saw how disheveled my snowy white hair looked, a normal occurrence in the morning. Of course, the two black spikes that jutted up from the area above my forehead like antennae were hard to miss too. I sighed, taking in my appearance.

"Another day for Hisakata Namida..."

Moments later, I was ready to go, locking up and heading off to school with my backpack in tow. I sported a plain white T-shirt underneath a black sleeveless hoodie with equally black shorts and steel-toed shoes. I also wore white fingerless gloves customized with my personal insignia: a heart with black angel wings, and a golden locket around my neck. My most prized possessions.

As I walked, my mind wandered... to that of my most recent dream. My eyebrows furrowed.

What was that all about?

The different voices, the people, the place in that dream... They were all alien to me. And yet, I felt as if I knew them ever since I was born.

Of course, since I have absolutely no clue who I actually am, much less where and when I was born, that idea's pending for approval. But that's a story for another time.

But really, as far as I knew, I had never lived on an island where peace and happiness reigned. Quite frankly, it was the opposite. I stole a glance at the beggars that littered the city streets. The graffiti that adorned every wall, every building that my eyes could see. The civilians walking past me, each face expressing a mixture of fear and lost hope. My eyes darkened visibly and I looked away, choosing to stare at the cobblestone path that led to my school instead.

This was my world.

With all my angsty thoughts, I wasn't able to notice the shadows slipping silently into the alleyways... until _that_ time came.

* * *

I stopped walking once I realized that I was right in front of the academy's gate. Normally, I would be wincing at the noise that escaped from every hallway and reached the outside.

I listened. One of my eyebrows went up.

That was strange.

The whole building was silent. Not a single sign of existence escaped from it.

My crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion... only to widen in shock the moment I heard screams of terror from the citizens in the streets I had just passed only seconds ago. Slowly, I turned around. Once I did, however, it was all I could do not to scream myself.

Numerous shadow creatures were emerging from the darkness of the alleyways, jumping around and swiping at frantic people with their sharp claws. Their yellow eyes gleamed with barely concealed madness and hunger. They were bringing the darkness with them... darkness that engulfed everything it touched.

A woman's scream fell short as she was killed with a harsh blow to the chest. I watched her body fall... but, to my utter surprise, it vanished into thin air before it had even reached the ground. A real, twinkling heart fluttered above the place where the body should have been. It started rising to the sky... only to be devoured by the same creature who had killed its owner. Realization dawned on me, and I took a step back, eyes wide with genuine fear. Panic was rising inside of me, and I could feel my own heart pounding.

A sound that seemed to alert every shadow creature around of my presence.

Hundreds of glowing yellow eyes turned their gazes in my direction... and the shadows to whom they belonged to started rushing toward me.

I wanted to run. I wanted to get out of there... but I was paralyzed with fear. The only thing I seemed capable of was to watch them coming closer and closer. And just when they were only a few meters away, the terror of the moment jogged my memory.

A voice... one of determination and courage.

"_As long as you're here with me, I can handle everything that comes my way!"_

The image of a blue-eyed brunette flashed before my mind's eye, and a name surfaced.

"Sora...?"

I snapped out of my paralyzed state and whirled around immediately to run, right before a Shadow could nick my arm. I slammed through the school's double door entrance and ran as fast as I could from hallway to hallway, trying to outrun them. Every once in a while, I would glance back to see if I had lost them.

Every time I did, they were still there, still running/scurrying like mad.

Cursing under my breath, I poured on the speed, ignoring my muscles' protests. No way was I going to stop here! I couldn't! Not now!

I rounded a corner and craned my head back again. Damn it, they were still there? I could hear my heart inside my chest, pounding hard from exhaustion. It was as if they could hear its beat, and it was making them hungrier and wilder. I turned my head forward once more... only for me to skid to a stop when I saw more of those creatures of darkness coming my way.

Oh, God.

I did a rapid 360, frantically looking for any way out.

There!

My eyes caught sight of a door near the spot where I was standing. I gulped in lungfuls in air, assessing my current situation.

Shadow creatures were coming at me from front and back. I had absolutely no strength to bash a hole out of the walls, thereby eliminating any chance of escaping that way. That door was the only chance I had. "But..." I bit my lip as I glanced at the Shadows nearing with every bound. Fear was starting to corrupt my mind. My crimson eyes turned fierce. No matter how slim my chance was...

"I have to try!", I shouted, as I sped toward the door. A Shadow managed to reach me faster than the others, leaping up and swiping at me, but I quickly sidestepped and sent it to its oblivion with a sweep kick. Thankfully, that was the only enemy I faced prior to feeling my hands grip the door handle. "Yes!"

I pushed the door open and rushed inside, slamming and locking it shut. At that precise moment, I recoiled as I heard them crash into it, its hinges already creaking. But from the looks of it, it was a pretty strong door. It would hold out for a while, I guessed. I managed to stagger to the farthest corner of the room before my knees gave out from under me and I collapsed, face-first. I remained on the ground, almost choking on the amount of air I was breathing in.

Now I really couldn't move.

Nonetheless, a smile managed to creep up my face. "At least I lost 'em..."

I was about to breathe a sigh of relief... but it caught in my throat as I watched the ultimate nightmare unfold right in front of my horrified crimson orbs.

The cursed beings of darkness had passed below the door, their bodies melting into the ground like real shadows, letting them crawl underneath and reemerge right inside the room. A cold jolt rang inside of me. I tried getting up again, but to no avail. I was completely exhausted. My body refused to listen to any of my mind's pleas.

For the second time that day, I was helpless. All I could do was to watch as they inched toward me ever so slowly, practically salivating at the mere thought of raking those claws across my body and freeing the heart they so badly desired to devour. Their eyes gleamed with a hidden madness. They could smell my fear, hear my heart pounding.

Was this it?

Was the end of the line for me?

"I'm going to die...?"

I closed my eyes, hiding the lost hope in them. I knew no one would answer me. No one possibly could. I was alone. Tears threatened to spill, but I was in no shape to force them back. I felt them slide down my cheeks. My eyes remained closed, embracing the darkness beneath my eyelids.

For some reason, _that_ name came up from the depths of my mind again.

"Sora..."

I remembered now. The dreams. The dreams that had started way back since I first came here, to this world.

All those dreams... they were always about a boy named Sora.

They were always about how I watched as we played together on an island, our very own paradise, with our other best friend: a boy with silver hair that reached his shoulders. He seemed nice, but I sensed something else within him. Something... sinister? I didn't know anymore.

Then, to my apparent dismay, the dreams had turned all scary, like how I watched the darkness snatch up our island. Like how I got separated from Sora and the others.

A shard of my heart was lost that night.

Now, as I lay on the cold and hard tiles that made up the floor, I hugged my memories of him to me like a lifeline.

"Sora... am I..."

He was the only one I could hold on to. The only light that I could cling to.

"...going to..."

Slowly, I opened my eyes to find myself in my own mindscape, standing on a stained glass floor... filled with cracks.

Oh no.

I only heard the sound of the glass breaking into millions of tiny little pieces before I found myself falling head-first into a dark abyss. Darkness was just so eager to get me, wasn't it?

But I was too tired to care.

"...die?"

I could only stare blankly at the abyss, waiting for impact.

At least, until something intervened.

* * *

_**"No, you're not!"**_

A sudden spark of light burst forth from the darkness, shocking my mind back into comprehension. Now I could register my entire lower body being "eaten" by the darkness. Still, my eyes remained blank.

_**"This isn't you, Nami! This isn't the girl I know!"**_

A hand stretched out to me from beyond the light, beckoning me to it. I felt the shadows' hold on me loosening, desperately trying to reclaim me.

I wasn't going to be fooled this time.

I reached out to him with all the strength I had left, a new flame of determination fueling the light of hope that was gradually returning to my crimson eyes. The air around me was getting warmer, and the light was getting brighter. But it didn't hurt my eyes. In fact, it seemed to calm my nerves. The voice, _his_ voice, sounded in my ears again.

_"As long as you're here with me..."_

"...I can handle anything that comes my way!", I answered him, just as our hands grabbed each other's wrists. I shut my eyes, feeling myself being pulled out of the darkness and into someplace warm and... safe. Before I knew it, I was back in the real world, opening my eyes to reality.

* * *

I blinked. It was still dark, but I could see quite clearly in the darkness. The shadows were gone. I sighed in relief, but then raised my eyebrows in surprise. Something was different somehow, but I couldn't quite place it.

It was then that I realized I was leaning against something. My ear was right on top of it... and something inside of it was beating.

A heart.

I was leaning against someone's chest.

I could have scrambled up to my feet if I was at my full strength. But, seeing as I was barely keeping myself awake, I looked up instead. I admit that I was in no mood to be surprised. I mean, I almost died!

But seriously, I couldn't help it.

Cerulean blue eyes met my crimson orbs, which were about to bulge out of their sockets. I sucked in a breath. He grinned, scratching the back of his head sheepishly with the hand that wasn't supporting my back. His light brown locks ruffled a bit at his actions.

"Yo."

It was official. The voice confirmed it.

I whispered his name in a myriad of emotions, with bewilderment taking the lead.

"Sora...?"

His smile seemed to brighten the whole room.

"In the flesh."

I could barely register my body being lifted from its position on the ground and placed gently on his back, my arms slung over his shoulders. My ears found the sound of his heartbeat once again, and I listened to its rhythm gently lulling me to sleep.

Before my eyes slipped shut from the combined forces of total exhaustion and the rhythm of a heartbeat, Sora's voice reached me, reassuring me.

"Everything's gonna be fine, Nami. I'm here now."

I managed to crack one eye halfway open and look at him, his head craned slightly to the side so he could see me. He was grinning again, flashing me the thumbs-up sign.

_Everything's gonna be alright._

I found myself smiling softly right back at him.

"I'm glad...", I whispered.

The next second, darkness washed over me behind closed eyelids.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope you enjoyed Chapter 1, everybody!

I'm currently encoding and editing Chapter 2, so just wait for it, 'kay? For now, here's a preview:

_Oh no._

_The world they were staring at was drowning in darkness. The Heartless were almost done consuming it. In a few minutes, this star would be blinking out._

_In an involuntary act that surprised even himself, Sora placed a hand over the area where his heart was. It was obvious that something was very wrong, but somehow, his heart was sensing more. It felt like..._

_...like someone was trying to connect with him._

I know, the preview's kinda crappy this time, but I'm not done with the whole chappie yet, so please don't blame me. :)

Please review!

Until next time!


	3. Cerulean Sky

A/N: Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry for updating so late! My studies got the better of me this time, especially since it's almost the end of yet another school year and we're getting requirements left and right!

Rest assured, I'll update as soon as I get the chance. Hopefully, that won't be too long. Enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer:** Excluding this story and my OC, Nami, I do not own anything related to Kingdom Hearts. It belongs to Square Enix, one of THE best!

* * *

"D-Donald! What's h-happening?"

Sora was holding on to the back of his seat for dear life. Goofy was doing the same, trying not to lose his grip on the armrest of his own. Donald was desperately trying to maintain his control on the ship, with no apparent success. All he could do was to maintain his balance as the Gummi ship sped toward an unknown destination, barrel-rolling every now and then to dodge obstacles in its way.

And yes, they _did_ forget to wear their seatbelts.

"I have no idea! The Gummi Ship just zoomed off course!", the Royal Mage replied.

"Well then, get it back on course! At this rate, we're gonna crash!"

"I'm trying, I'm trying!"

A few moments ago, the expanse of space had been as peaceful as early morning. There were no Heartless to ruin the said peace, so the trio took the chance to talk and get to know each other better.

First off, the Royal Guard of Disney Castle, Goofy. He may be a bit... well, _goofy_ sometimes, but he's as tough as his Shield whenever his friends need him. One can _always_ feel safe as long as Goofy's there to back him up.

The Royal Mage of Disney Castle, Donald Duck, is next on the list. He's the expert when it comes to magic and spells. Although he's quite moody for a duck, he still has a kind heart inside.

Last but not least is the wielder of the mysterious, legendary weapon known as the Keyblade. Sora. Following the destruction of his homeworld, Destiny Islands, Sora had set out on a journey with Donald and Goofy in order to find his two best friends. Riku... and Kairi. The Keyblade Master had met many allies in Traverse Town, including the two who were beside him right now.

"Chip, Dale! Status report!"

The black-nosed one of the two chipmunks came onto the screen, his face expressing worry and bewilderment. He had a right to be. After all, never before had the Gummi Ship disobeyed coordinates just like that! "What's going on?", Donald wailed to him.

"Donald, the radars are sensing a huge amount of Heartless in the direction you're going to! We think the ship's reacting to them!", Chip cried. In the background, Dale was pressing buttons of every kind and size in numerous attempts to regain control of the Gummi ship. From the way the trio was still hanging on to whatever could hold them in place, it was a bit obvious that it wasn't working.

"But if that's true, then why didn't it react to those other worlds before? Those worlds had tons of Heartless! Why here? Why now?", Sora wondered aloud. "Maybe there's somethin' special in that world that's makin' the Heartless so crazy!", Goofy replied.

Before anyone could react to Goofy's statement, the ship screeched to a halt, the force sending the three crashing to the ship's windshield. If not for the fact that it was made of strong fiberglass, they would have landed right into... darkness?

Sora's eyes widened. He heard Donald suck in a breath, and Goofy could only stare in dismay.

The world they were looking at was coiled in numerous tendrils of darkness, which were multiplying with every second. Sora could actually feel the massive waves of Heartless invading every space they could find. The aura of the place was so dark, so heavy that it was enough for cold sweat to break out on his forehead, and he reached up to wipe it away.

In a few minutes, this star would be blinking out.

"Sora!" The alarm in Chip's voice made the boy whirl to face him. "That world's gonna be swallowed by the Heartless in a few minutes..." "And there's still someone there!", Dale finished. This time, the Gummi ship's whole crew whirled to face the chipmunks. "What?", they shouted in unison.

"The Heartless are multiplying so fast that the radars are having a really hard time locating its exact position..."

"But we're sure of it! There's a faint signal coming from the heart of that world!"

The trio didn't need to be told twice. They quickly sat on their seats and strapped on their seatbelts. Donald grabbed the ship's controls and started lowering the ship, now steady and obedient, down onto the nearest landing point they could find.

It was traumatizing enough to watch his island, his home devoured by the darkness before his very eyes. Now, that same darkness was going to swallow someone else's world too? Sora bit his lip, his hands clenching into fists. He knew the pain he felt back then. And he wasn't going to let anyone else experience it.

Never again.

Without warning, the Keyblade appeared in Sora's hand with a flash of light, as if responding to his silent vow. In an involuntary act that surprised even himself, Sora placed his free hand, the hand he wasn't using to grip his weapon, over the area where his heart was. It was obvious that something was very wrong, but somehow, his heart was sensing more. It felt like...

...like someone was trying to connect with him.

* * *

"Sora?"

Said brunette looked up, startled. Donald and Goofy were sending worried glances at him. He realized the ship had landed now, camouflaged in a grassy area. He smiled at them, albeit not as wide as usual. "Y-Yeah. I was just... thinking." Donald looked doubtful, but said no more about the topic. Sora stored his weapon with a wave of his hand. "Come on, guys. Let's go." "Right!"

The Gummi ship had landed near a town square. A really deserted town square, at that. Their eyes could see that no one was in the area... but apparently, the Keyblade thought otherwise. Again, it appeared so suddenly in Sora's hand that it was hard for him not to jump. It seemed to be pulling him towards the path in front of them. Rather impatiently too. Goofy saw that it was pointing to a cobblestone road. "Ya know, maybe the Keyblade's tryin' to tell ya somethin'." "That's what I'm thinking too.", Sora agreed. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's follow that key!", Donald said. The three of them set out for what lied ahead... and what would unknowingly change the course of history as every world knew it.

As they walked along the cobblestones, Sora's heartbeat began to quicken. And he had absolutely no idea why. "Darn it, why do I feel so weird?", he screamed in his mind. He had no time to feel weird! Heck, he had no time to be walking down this road either! He had to find Riku and Kairi!

But, despite this urgency, he couldn't deny the possibility of them being here. And, aside from that, he couldn't help but sense that someone important to him was in trouble somewhere. Which was saying something, since almost everyone important him had disappeared in that Heartless invasion on Destiny Islands. His eyes burned with the formation of tears, but he quickly composed himself. No need for Donald and Goofy to see him all mopey. After all, frowning wasn't allowed with them!

At last, the Keyblade's pull on Sora vanished, and he let his arm settle to his side. Goofy noticed that they were still standing somewhere in the middle of the path. On a whim, he traced the cobblestones to their end... which proved to be the turning point of their otherwise fruitless search.

"Sora, look!"

At the end of the path was a large building that practically towered over the whole town. A huge clock adorned its highest tier, and glass windows were on every wall. It looked like a school.

And they had arrived just in time to see a huge swarm of Shadows rush toward the school's front gates... where a young girl stood, frozen with fear.

"We've gotta hurry!", Sora said quickly, his voice tinged with the beginnings of panic. He sprinted to the gates, his companions right behind him. His heart was pounding from exhaustion, alerting some of the Heartless among the swarm and sending them scurrying toward the trio. But a Fire spell from Donald was enough to make them dissipate, leaving hearts to rise up to the sky in their wake. Sora flashed the duck a thumbs up, the latter grinning in response. By the time they had reached the front gates, the girl had already rushed inside the building, the shadows eagerly chasing after her.

Sora passed the gates and burst through the school's double doors... and groaned inwardly. There were so many hallways! "Now what?", he screamed in his mind. A scream the Keyblade seemed to hear. Again, the key's wielder felt his weapon's pull on his arm. It was pointing them to the right direction. Without a word, Donald and Goofy nodded, understanding. Together, they rounded a corner and made their way through the hall.

_Sora...?_

Said boy's eyes widened, and he skidded to a stop right in front of a metal door. His arm dropped to his side. "Did you guys hear that?", Sora asked the two. Donald looked at him. "Hear what?"

_Am I..._

Sora stared at the door, his eyes hardening. Goofy tried opening it... and of course, it was locked. "It's coming from in here. Get ready, guys!" Sora lifted his key to the door's small keyhole.

_...going to..._

With a beam of light and the sound of a lock being undone, Goofy turned the doorknob... and Donald shoved his way into the room, thereby opening the door for them.

Dozens of glowing yellow eyes cast their gazes on them, startled at the new arrivals. But they didn't distract Sora from staring at the unconscious figure lying on the ground in the farthest corner of the room. A figure coiled in tendrils of shadows.

_...die?_

_**"No, you're not!"**_

* * *

Thus did the first onslaught of Heartless rampage. "Fire!" Donald let loose consecutive fireballs at the shadows, effectively destroying most of them. Goofy threw his Shield at them like a boomerang, while Sora slashed at the rest with his Keyblade. "Cover me!" The two nodded and continued their attacks. He evaded swipes from the Shadows' claws left and right while he hurried to the girl's side, scrambling to get her to safety as soon as he reached her.

Of course, something had to happen.

The slightest brush of his skin against hers made everything darken before Sora's eyes. He gasped as the ground beneath him disappeared all too suddenly, and he found himself falling headfirst into what seemed to be a tunnel of light. And, at the end of the tunnel, the girl stared right at him with dull crimson eyes.

It took but a moment for him to realize that he was scared. Scared of those eyes that held only despair. Scared of the eyes that held no hope. Against his will, he shouted at her.

_**"This isn't you, Nami! This isn't the girl I know!"**_

An unknown force made his arm stretch out to her. Was it the Keyblade? Why did he know the girl's name? What the hell was going on?

Crimson eyes that once held nothing sparked with understanding. The familiar flame of determination sparked within. Crimson locked onto sapphire... inevitably unlocking memories hidden deep in the darkest corners of his mind, ones he never even knew he had.

_"If I were to disappear... would you care?"_

_**"Nami, don't let go of my hand! We're gonna fight this together!"**_

_"We'll meet each other again, Sora! It's a promise!"_

_**"Nami, no!"**_

_"Take care of them, Sora..."_

Memory after memory played themselves in his mindscape, exclusively for his mind's eye. All of them showed him with this girl. Whether it was just the two of them or with Riku and Kairi, whether it was morning or sunset... it was always about her. He didn't know her! It was impossible for him to know her!

...Was it?

_Would you remember her if she wasn't important to you, Keyblade Master?_

The mystery voice, the one he had been hearing ever since the dream that started everything at Destiny Islands. It had a point. His mind may not know... but maybe his heart did.

He didn't withdraw his hand even as he called out to her.

_**"As long as you're here with me..."**_

She gritted her teeth and fought the shadows that dared to take control of her body, her arm shooting out from their grasp. Sora felt the pressure of a hand grabbing his wrist, and he moved to do the same.

_"... I can handle anything that comes my way!"_

He tightened his hold and started to pull her up with all the strength he could muster, shutting his eyes to concentrate on the effort. As he did so, the mysterious voice rang in his ears once again.

_Hearts connected...destinies intertwined._

With one final pull, the shadows detached themselves from the girl's body... and Sora opened his eyes to find himself back in the real world, against a corner of the dark room they had barged into. Donald and Goofy were looking down on him, their own eyes questioning. He raised an eyebrow before noticing a slight weight on his chest that hadn't been there before. And it was moving. He looked down.

The girl was awake... and she was leaning against his chest.

Normally, he would have bolted up onto his feet, his whole face as red as a tomato with embarrassment. But, for some reason he could not explain, he didn't. He only watched the girl's head tilt upward to meet his gaze, surprise gracing her features upon doing so.

Sora couldn't help but grin. "Yo."

A soft voice whispered his name, one like the chime of small bells being blown by the gentlest breeze.

"Sora...?"

It only seemed to make his smile widen.

"In the flesh."

At that moment, time thawed itself from its icy slumber. Goofy shook his head to clear his thoughts and tapped Donald on the shoulder, motioning to the girl who was barely keeping herself awake on Sora's lap. The duck nodded, reaching down to help him lift her up. Sora got the message instantly, and he moved so that he was on one knee. Gently, his friends placed the snowy-haired girl on his back, her arms around his shoulders. His own arms kept her in place as he slowly stood up from his position.

He took a glance at the nearby window.

Darkness.

There wasn't much time left. They had to get out of here!

Together, the three of them ran out of the room and burst through the school gates a few seconds later. Sora couldn't stop himself from flinching.

The world they were in was but a single piece of land now, left over from the rampage of the Heartless.

The same fate as Destiny Islands.

A barely noticeable movement snapped him out of his reverie, and he tilted his head sideways so he could see his charge. Her eyes were closed now, the exhaustion catching up to her. "Everything's gonna be fine, Nami. I'm here now." He whispered more sweet nothings to her as he dashed to the ship's location, making it just in time for Donald to close its doors.

"Hang on!"

The mage hit the controls and, in no time at all, the Gummi ship was up and running, cruising upwards and away from the darkest doom. Sora didn't need to look back to see the annihilation of the one known as Nami's world. Instead, he chose to crane his head to the side again, checking on the said girl on his back. One of her eyes was cracked open. Although it was slipping shut with every second, he was sure she saw him grin and give her the thumbs up.

Her smile warmed his heart. "I'm glad...", she whispered, before she drifted off to the sweet caresses of unconsciousness.

"We still have a long way to go before we arrive at the next world, Sora. Ya might wanna rest up." The brunette glanced at Goofy, whose voice held nothing but concern for him and Nami. Smiling slightly, he nodded and started heading deeper into the ship, to his room. But, after rounding a corner, he stood against the wall, careful not to aggravate Nami's condition, and listened.

"Do ya think the girl's okay?"

"Who knows? She was lucky we arrived before the darkness could devour her heart!"

"But why do ya think she was the Heartless' target?"

"...I really don't know, Goofy. I really don't know."

He heard Donald flick a switch, and the Auto-Pilot sign on the wall overhead glowed green.

"We should get some rest too. Come on, Goofy."

"You betcha, pal."

Sora knew their conversation was closed for now, and he hurried down the corridor until he reached the door to the guest room. He could feel Nami's breath tickling the back of his neck, deep and even. She was sleeping. He made his way into the room.

He reserved the questions spinning around in his head for when the crimson-eyed girl woke up.

Right now, they both needed their rest.

* * *

A/N: Nami's not going to wake up in the real world just yet! Upon opening her eyes, she finds herself standing on a stained glass floor! What's going on now?

Find out in Chapter 3: "Battling My Darkside!"

Stay tuned! :)


	4. Battling My Darkside

A/N: Exams and final requirements are finally done... so let's celebrate with the newest chapter of "The Sky's Tears!" I'm so sorry for all the late updates! -_-

I especially extend my apologies to **Sleepy The Dwarf**, who has been this story's most dedicated follower, despite the huge lapses in updating! A really huge "Sorry" and "Thank You" for everything, Sleepy! By the way, Nami says "Hi!" :D

And now, without further ado, I give you the third chapter: "Fighting My Darkside!"

Enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer:** Excluding this story and my OC, Nami, I do not own anything related to Kingdom Hearts. It belongs to Square Enix, one of THE best! ^^

* * *

Silence rang in my ears.

Darkness was all I could see, even as I slowly opened my eyes. At once, I blinked rapidly, expecting light to come bursting from somewhere I didn't expect. Hey, anything could happen, especially after I almost died because of freaking _shadows_!

But my view remained dark. No sign of light anywhere.

My heart almost stopped. Oh God, was I blind? Did those monsters get me blind? I felt the panic and adrenaline starting to course through my veins. My eyes darted every which way, trying to find even a shred of salvation in this forsaken place.

Again... zilch. Nothing but darkness.

I swear, I was hyperventilating by the time I held my hands out in front of me as a last-ditch effort to regain my vision. And whadaya know? It actually worked! I saw my hands! I wasn't blind!

But the _fun_ was just beginning. Note the extreme sarcasm within the word _fun_.

I was still stuck here... wherever _here_ was. "Think, Nami!", I cried out loud. Well... tried to, anyway. I groaned inwardly. This day just couldn't get any better.

No sound escaped my lips, no matter how hard I screamed.

It took me a while to catch my breath. There was no point in having a panic attack now. If I was going to get out of here, I had to do it properly.

After a whole minute, I realized I was standing. You couldn't blame me! The floor was as black as everything around me! A strange feeling bubbled up in my gut. Apparently, it was telling me to move. I took a deep breath... and stepped forward.

One step was all it took. At once, hundreds of shadowy birds took off from beneath my feet, scattering feathers everywhere. I quickly raised an arm to shield my eyes from the sudden light that radiated from the floor, now glowing an eerie green. It illuminated the birds, granting me the chance to see them fly away.

I forced myself to get used to the blinding light, and I examined the floor I was standing on, which was made of stained glass. A beautiful woman was clearly its main focus, with strange creatures that looked like dwarves in her background. The woman had her eyes closed, and she had an apple in her hand. It looked like she was about to eat it. "Snow White." My mouth formed the name but no sound came out.

With a start, I realized I was staring at a princess.

Of course I knew about princesses. I had heard about them once, when I was still in school. My History teacher told us a story, a myth in all actuality, about seven fair maidens dubbed as the Princesses of Heart. Supposedly, they were the ones who had the purest of all hearts... and that they were the key to something legendary. So legendary, in fact, that the fate of the whole world rested upon it.

I remembered myself scoffing at the mere thought of them. I was well aware of the fact that no one had a 'pure' heart. Everyone had some darkness within their hearts, no matter how great they deemed themselves to be. I should know...

...because I could sense it.

For reasons unknown to me, I could sense the state of a person's heart and soul ever since I could comprehend the strange ability.

More on that later.

Anyway, every heart I had sensed had darkness in them. I doubted that certain maidens' hearts were the only exception.

But now, as I scanned my memories, reliving the past few hours when I was still conscious... I really wasn't sure of the possible or impossible stuff anymore. I ran a hand through my hair, which was surprisingly still as white as snow, even after lying on a floor filled with grime and dirt. Everything was so... confusing!

_Indeed._

I jumped about a foot in the air with a soundless yelp. Who the hell was that? I whirled around, my eyes wide and my other senses on full alert. There was no one in the vicinity. I couldn't sense any heart. So where...?

_So much to do, so little time..._

There it was again! The voice was resounding all around me, in every direction. Reluctantly, I gave up trying to locate it and closed my eyes, choosing to listen to its words instead.

_Take your time. Don't be afraid._

I opened my crimson eyes then, looking forward. The princess, Snow White, remained in my vision as her face was bathed in a barely noticeable ray of light.

_The door is still shut. Now, step forward. Can you do it?_

I fought the urge to snort. I wasn't born yesterday! Of course I could! I took a step forward, then another, and another... until I was slowly making my way under the faint rays. My eyebrows furrowed. What did the voice want me to do?

My answer came in the form of a large gray pedestal suddenly erupting from the ground on my left, and I fought hard not to yelp again as my head quickly turned toward it. Tendrils of light swirled around it for a second, ending at the very top, where a shield rimmed with red appeared in a flash, hovering in the air. A strange red symbol, like three circles joined together, adorned its center.

_Power sleeps within you._

Another pedestal rose from the ground on my right, and I whirled around. A staff with a long, green handle appeared, much in the same manner as the shield. The same symbol as that of the shield's, only blue instead of red, served as its tip.

_If you give it form..._

A third pedestal rose up in front of me and my eyes rested upon it. A flash of light revealed a sword with a blue and gold hilt, its blade gleaming slightly. The symbol, now of a black color and within a red circle, was on the spot where blade met hilt.

_...it will give you strength._

* * *

_Choose well._

Choose? I had to pick only one? Well, that was a waste. But I had to comply if I was ever gonna go back to reality again, so.

I walked over to the sword hovering in front of me... and jumped on its pedestal. Don't ask me why. My instincts decided to be stubborn that time. As I held the sword in my hands, the disembodied voice made itself known.

_The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction._

Huh. So it gave me tips to consider. Okay then... I stepped down from the sword's pedestal and moved to the next one, the one with a staff.

_The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin._

Wonder _and_ ruin? There was also the 'sword of terrible destruction' to think about... I jumped down and walked over to the shield's pedestal.

_The power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all._

Now this was an interesting find. But... what did the voice mean by 'repel _all_?' Could the shield repel friends too?

I sighed and set my feet on the ground once again. All three of these weapons were powerful in their own rights... but with enormous consequences in each. It was like choosing the lesser evil. And I had no plans of choosing any evil ever, thank you very much.

So I did what any 14-year-old kid would do in my situation.

I raised my chin defiantly and shouted to the light that still shone down on Snow White's face.

"I choose none of them!"

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes, as if the voice didn't expect my answer. But then, as I was contemplating on how I was going to spend the rest of my life in this dark place of nowhere, it let out a slight chuckle.

_Smart girl._

Immediately, tendrils of light shot out from the pedestals and coiled themselves around both of my arms, sending me into yet another panicking frenzy. "Let go!", I so desperately wanted to scream. Again, a futile attempt.

With wide eyes, I watched as the tendrils trailed down, setting themselves in my hands. I watched as the light solidified in them. I could feel the warmth.

When it had finished blinding me, thank God, I found myself gripping two swords, about the same size as the sword in front of me. The right one's blade was pure white, with a golden hilt. Oddly enough, the other sword was like a darker counterpart, with a dark crimson hilt and a blade as black as the darkness surrounding me. I looked at them, my eyes narrowing. I felt... something within them. Like clashing powers that threatened to kill the moment when they would meet... yet powers that could not work without the other.

I hardly even mouthed "Unbelievable..." before both of the swords suddenly disappeared and a loud crash resounded from my left.

It happened so fast that I only heard the pedestals giving way and the glass floor cracking beneath me, before I was falling headfirst, my wide eyes having no choice but to stare as I went deeper into the abyss of darkness.

* * *

As soon as I saw another princess made of stained glass nearing me rapidly, I backflipped in midair so that I safely landed on the floor with two feet instead of a crushed head. Curiously, I glanced at the face of this young maiden in the blue gown, and the pictures that served as her background. "Cinderella." Again, the words just spilled out of my mouth, no willpower on my being whatsoever.

A tingle in my hands made me jump and, with yet another flash of light, the twin swords from before appeared.

_You have gained the power to fight._

Raising an eyebrow, I gave the white blade a practice swing, then the black one. Power pulsed through both of them, so different yet so... fitting together. Honestly, I got so amazed with them that I almost failed to notice something scurrying ahead of me. Almost.

_There will be times you have to fight._

My gaze switched from the swords to the small figure that emerged from nowhere, flat on the ground. By itself, it was no big deal. But then it just had to go and become solid and stand right in front of me, staring at me with haunting yellow eyes.

I stumbled back as the shadow multiplied before my very eyes. Soon, there were at least five of them, twitching with raw anticipation and the most desperate need to feed on the one thing they craved for.

A heart. More specifically, _my_ heart.

_Keep your light burning strong._

I tightened my grip on my swords and unconsciously fell into a battle stance, my arms crossed into an X position over my chest, my feet apart and steady. As the first one leaped toward me, I sidestepped it at the last minute and swung my white blade straight in its middle, making it vanish in shadowy smoke. The others took this as their cue to attack, but I quickly raised my blades over my head and swung them both in wide opposite arcs, sending a shockwave that rippled around me and struck the dark creatures, effectively destroying them all at once.

Well... most of them.

A particularly stubborn one remained, staring at me with its blank golden eyes.

Annoyed, I took a step forward to finish it, but it melted into the floor like thick black sludge the minute I did so. My eyes widened. What the-?

Seriously, you should have seen the other black puddles that suddenly made themselves known, much to my apparent dismay. Within seconds, the whole of the stained glass floor became tainted with a horrid black and, without warning, I sank into it like it was swallowing me whole! I cried out silently as I practically drowned in the blackness, and I barely had time to hold my breath before it pulled me in once more.

* * *

I thrashed around, fighting the hold the darkness had on me. It wasn't going to get me this time! My arms flailed wildly, trying to escape...

...when it dawned on me that there was nothing to escape from.

My crimson eyes snapped open, and I jolted upright, immediately giving the newest area a breathless 360. Nothing out of the ordinary... well, not yet, anyway. I glanced down at the floor I was resting on. No princess this time. Only three hearts, connected somehow... like a trinity of sorts. Once I had gulped in enough air, I slowly stood, steadying myself on my feet.

It took only one look to see the large double doors that were a few feet away from me, and I walked toward it, unsure of what to do. They were perfectly solid _normal _doors. I felt my face scrunch up in disbelief, but I shook my head and reached over to grip the door handles. I didn't need to. With a click, the doors opened themselves. A mysterious force beckoned me to the light and, for some reason, I obeyed, stepping forward... and letting the light claim me.

* * *

The next thing I knew, I was standing on another glass floor adorned with a princess, which I recognized at once. "Princess Aurora!" She was my favorite princess of them, after all. It was hard not to forget her, even after all I've been through. I took note of the thorns surrounding her sleeping form and the single rose that she held in her hands with interest, having read about their part in the young maiden's history.

But I absolutely did not read about the sudden light that shone down on me from above. Nothing to be surprised about, though.

As I watched, the spotlight gradually moved farther and farther away from me until it reached the edge of the platform I was on. At the very moment it disappeared, sparkles emerged from its former place, conjuring stained glass steps that created a chain leading to another platform which I hoped would be the last. Having nothing else to lose, I simply _ran_ to them, a small part of my mind noticing that, with every step I took, the previous one disappeared into thin air.

Soon, I stood on a platform holding a princess in a majestic yellow gown. "Belle." The one known as Beauty.

I stepped forward almost casually to the beam of light that I had grown used to by now, staring up at where I assumed it began.

_The closer you get to light, the greater your shadow becomes._

I jumped at the return of the disembodied voice, emitting a slight squeak. My head whirled around, intending to search for the source... when I caught sight of my shadow. My eyebrows furrowed as I stared at it, strangely dark and...three-dimensional...?

Say what?

My reflexes getting the better of me, I jumped back, distancing myself from my own shadow, which had suddenly detached from my feet and had risen up from the ground. Genuine fear gripped my insides as I slowly backed away from its gradually enlarging form.

_But don't be afraid._

Where I had normal hands encased in fingerless gloves, my shadow had only long claws of pure darkness. And where I had my shoes, it had pointed feet, with tips that jutted out like spikes.

_And don't forget..._

I stared up at its head, curvy snake-like tentacles topping it like Medusa's hair of serpents. From behind them, practically hidden, were the glowing yellow eyes of every dark creature I had encountered so far. But this time, I sensed more power. _Much_ more power. And I didn't think I could handle it anymore.

Turning around, I dashed forward, not caring which way was which or whether I tripped over my own feet. All that registered in my brain was that I had to get away from this thing... fast! However, the end of the circular platform scratched that out of the equation as I regained enough of my crazed senses to skid to a stop before I could fall to my death down below. I cursed, shutting my eyes and clenching my fists, resting them on my knees. I had to calm myself. Breathe, Nami, that's it, breathe...

Then, as if responding to the utter terror, a sudden weight appeared on both of my hands. My eyes flew open in surprise. Within my fists... were the twin swords I had acquired earlier. Now, I could feel a pulse in them, like they were eager and ready to fight.

Like they were helping me find the power to control my darkness.

I couldn't resist a smile. I whispered a soft "Thank you..." to the blades, before my eyes blazed with determination as I turned fully around to face the giant shadow that now towered over me.

The moment it gathered dark energy in its hand and brought it down _through_ the ground, summoning smaller shadows from the portal the action had created, I ran straight to the hand and _jumped_ on it, advancing rapidly to its snake-haired head through its arm. As soon as I got near enough, I immediately stabbed the white sword in its eye, making it howl in apparent pain. I didn't give it the chance to retaliate as I leaped high up in the air and swung my black blade down from overhead, sending the strongest wave of power I could utilize, straight into the area between the giant's eyes.

If it were even possible, the volume of its howls increased...with sudden fury and rage.

It lunged for me the moment my feet met the ground. I had a split second to gasp before jumping back from the clawed hand that crashed into the ground... only to choke in shock as its other hand quickly enclosed itself around my neck, its weight forcing my knees to buckle from underneath me.

I struggled to breath as I fought the shadow's grip, which was tightening with every second. I gritted my teeth, my eyes disobeying a direct order to avert their gaze from blank yellow orbs.

_...But don't be afraid._

I could feel the darkness pooling beneath me, only serving to frighten me further. The hand held me in place as cold shadow tendrils wrapped around my torso.

_You hold the mightiest heart of all._

My lungs began to hurt when the tendrils reached my neck, the same neck that was being crushed by the monster before me. My vision was being marred by black spots.

_So don't forget..._

Dimly, I registered the darkness enveloping me fully into its clutches. I was too weak to protest anymore. A small part of me was even horrified to discover that I was actually _welcoming_ the thought of being swallowed up by the shadows.

But that part of me had no reason to worry... because, somehow, I wasn't giving in.

Because, somewhere in space and time... there was someone holding on to me, and refusing to let go.

I felt my body rising upward, like I was emerging from the waters of the sea. And, as I revealed my crimson eyes to the world once more, their confused gaze was met with cerulean orbs of joy and relief.

The eyes that belonged to the beacon that had brought me back.

I spoke in a voice that was obviously hoarse and scratchy, but it reassured me of my definite return to the reality I knew.

"Sora...?"

He didn't say anything in reply... but the hand that gently ran through my snowy white hair, ruffling it affectionately as one would do to a little sibling, was enough for a small smile to appear on my face. I closed my eyes, committing the feeling to both mind and heart.

The disembodied voice's last message to me, back in the mindscape I had returned from, continued to ring in my ears.

_You are the one who will bring light to the darkness of their destinies._

* * *

A/N: Nami finally wakes up from her slumber, and comes face to face with the renowned trio: Sora, Donald and Goofy! After the introductions and updates, the four are alerted to their arrival on a new world. What will become of their newest adventure? And what's this about a freaking satyr's butt?

All this and more in Chapter 4: "My Journey's Beginning!"

Stay tuned! :)


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